Flush door



July 25, 1933. w. P. MURPHY FLUSH DOOR Filed May 6, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet1 awe/whoa WAL TEFRMI/fiP/ Y y 5, 93 w. P. MURPHY 1,919,702

' FLUSH DOOR Filgd May 6. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 xxx 27% WALTER RMl/RPH ygwoenkw Patented July 25, 1 933 I UHTEF s'rArss ME I WALTERLP. MURP Y,on ,RIDGWAY, PnNNsYnvANrA, AssmNon To HYDE-MURPHY, COMPA Y, or RIDGWAY,PENNSYLVANIA, A conronerionorPENNsYLvANrA FLUSH noon j Application filedMay .6, 1931. Serial Nb; 535,509.

This invention relates to flush doors and has for its object theproduction of a simple and efiicient 3 moisture control expansion jointforiuseinthe construction of flush doors, partitions, or 'othenformsofwood' v working whereby the structure embodying this moisture controlexpansion joint willnot warp and-get out of'shape. e Another-ob ect ofthisj'invention' is the production of a-fiush door partition, orotherform of'wood working having acore consistingof alternate. fixed andunattached cross-rails which have a possible expansive action within noralong the longitudinal stiles and within and alongthe same plane as theveneer surface which covers the core and at the same time will notexpand laterally agains't'tlie plane of the veneer.

inventionconsists of certain novel constructions, combination andarrangement of parts as will be 1 hereinafter "fully described andclaimed:' '1 r I In the'd-rawings':

Figure 1- is a plan view of aflush door construction partly broken awayto show the various layersgoing to make up the door,

a portion of the core structure being shown in section; 1

Figure 2 is-an edge elevation of the door shown in Figure 1, certainparts thereof being' broken away and shown in section;

I Figure 3' is a section taken on line 33 of Figurel;

Figure 4 is a section taken online 4;l of Figure 1;- n

Figure 5 is a'detail perspective view of a portion of the core stiles,and a fragmentary perspective view of the cross rails showing thestructure of the expansion joint;

[Figure 6'15 a transverse sectional view through a modified form of theexpansion joint;'and r Figure 7 is a perspective view partly shown insectionshowing the structure 01- the modified form of the expansionjoint also illustrated inFigure 6. v 1

By referring to the drawings, it will be seen that '1 designates thecore stiles of a flush--door, each of the stiles being provided Withthese and other objects in view .thiswith vertically extending channelor tiedto or secured firmly to the core stiles 1' by means of dowel pins5 which enter transversely and tightly into the core stiles 1 andiintosuitable dowel pockets 6 formed in the cross rails 4 as shown clearly inFigure 5 of the drawings. o

In building the flush door, it ispreferable o to anchor the cross "rails4 to the core stiles 1 by means of the dowel pins 5 as shown clearly inFigures land 8' of the drawings, alternatin with a floating or unsecuredcross rail mounted between the fixecl cross rails 4, these cross rails 7having suitable tongues fitting within the grooves or channels 2 formedin thecore stiles 1, and in this 7 way permitting a slight expansivemove ment longitudinally within the channels or grooves 2. Thisarrangement of'fixed cross rail 4, unsecured cross rail'7, fixed-crossrail 4- and unsecured cross rail 7 is continued throughout the length ofthe door with the widths of the cross rails 7 being so arranged thatthere are fixed cross rails 4; at the top and bottom edges of the doorcore.

'Abutting the anchored or secured cross rails 4 between them and crossrails 7 there is provided a specially constructed expansion joint whichconsists of a pair-ofabutting sec tions which are referred to forconvenience as amale'section 8 and a female sect1on'9.

in the fem'ale section 9 attached to cross rails 4, The abutting facesof the'male and female sections 8 and 9 of the expansion joint aredished inwardly from the outer side edges of the sections or" the jointtherebyproducing inwardly inclined walls 12 which walls incline from theouter side edges of the male and female'sectionstoward the, tongue orgroove formed in the respective sections.

romthe description andby carefully each section to permit a properexpansion and contraction of the male and female sections of theexpansion joint. The tongue 10 of the male section is only of sufficientdepth to fit within the channel or groove 11 of the female section andpermit proper expansion and contraction without contact with the innerface of the channel formed within the female section.

In building the structure embodying the flush door, or other woodworkingstructures, it is preferable to provide an expansion joint at each edgewhere anchored and unsecured cross'rails abut and as they alternate,there would be an expansion joint between all cross rails. However, theexpansion joint may be placed at any point, extending from stile tostile. The preferable arrangement of cross rails is to alternate fixedand unsecured rails but theymay be arranged in any combination or seriesas desired.

It is a well known fact that the physical properties of wood will causethe wood to absorb water when in contact therewith, and it is further awell known fact that wood will absorb moisture from the air as and whenthe humidity percentage increases and conversely wood will give oifmoisture as and when humidity percentage decreases. It is a furtherrecognized fact that in the law of physics, wood increases in width whenabsorbing moisture and decreases in width when drying out or giving 01fmoisture. The particular expansion joint which has been providedproduces an open space into which the core following the line of leastresistance may expand when and as it absorbs moisture without causingany variation of the outside dimension of the woodwork within which thejoint is used such as the flush door illustrated. Furthermore, theparticular structrue which has been illustrated and described willprovide for a'uniform distribution of the expansion and contraction, thestresses and strains due to unequal absorption, and uncontrolledswelling and stralnmg, and stresses and strains which are the primarycause of warping and twisting will be prevented or so minimized ineffect as to produce an efficient article which is practically free fromthe tendencies and faults of warpage or twistin The door or otherarticle provided with the expansion joint described will remain straightunder adverse conditions.

It should be further understood that the present invention provides forthe anchor ing of a series of cross rails upon the core stiles and alsoprovides for controlling the expansion of all the cross rails throughthe medium of an expansion joint between any or all of the cross rails,the cross rails which are interposed alternately between the secured oranchored cross rails being unglued, undoweled, and in no way securedagainst longitudinal movement within the groove of the core stiles,thereby producing semi-movable or expansive cross rails having possibleslight floating or sliding action within or along the grooves of thestiles in which the tongues of the cross rails fit. This slight movementwill assist in the proper expansion under the action of moisture,longitudinally of the stiles.

In Figures 6 and 7 there is shown a modified form of invention, whereinthe expansion joint comprises a pair of similarly con structed panelsections 18, having registering longitudinally extending grooves 1 upontheir adjoining faces in which is adapted to fit a spline 15 extendinglongitudinally of the sections 13. The adjacent faces of the sections 13are inclined from the outer side edges of the sections toward thegrooves or channels 14: as illustrated clearly in Figures 6 and 7 toprovide inclined faces 16. The spline 15 is preferably of a suitablesize to permit movement of the sections 13 relative to each otherwithout jamming the spline 15 against the inner face of the channels orgrooves :14.

Vithin the scope of the invention, the flush door illustrated may beprovided with suitable panels or openings for glass, and a covering orcasing for the core other than veneer or in addition to the veneer maybe employed should it be so desired.

Itshould be understood that certain detail changes may be made in themechanical construction without departing from the spirit of theinvention so long as these changes fall within the appended claims andit is further desired to point out that the present device may beapplied to other articles other than flush doors, partitions, andsimilar woodworking structures.

- Furthermore, it should be understood that the principal feature of thepresent invention relates to the core construction of the door,partition, or other suitable woodworking structure, and in constructinga door the core is assembled as above described and illustrated, uponwhich a flush veneer, called the face veneer, may be placed. If it isdesired, two veneers, the under one termed the cross banding asindicated by the numeral 17, may be employed, and over this may beplaced the outer veneer 18.

Having described the invention,what is claimed as new is:

1. A structure of the class described comprising a core embodying sidecore stiles,

spaced cross rails anchored to said side core stiles, unanchoredintermediate cross rails engaging said side core stiles arranged betweenStLlClRDCllOlGCl cross rails, and an expansion joint interposed betweenand forming part of said anchored and said unanchored cross rails.

2. A core for woodworking structures oomprising side core stiles, crossrails anchored in spaced relation upon said core stiles, unanchoredcross rails interposed between said anchored cross rails, said side corestiles provided with longitudinal channels, said cross rails providedwith tongues'fitting in said channels, and an expansion joint interposedbetween the anchored and unanchored cross rails.

3. A core for Woodworking structures comprising side core stiles,anchored cross rails, unanchored cross rails expansive longitudinally ofsaid side core stiles interposed between said anchored cross rails, andan expansion joint compensating for the relative expansion of the crossrails with respect to anchored cross rails under the influence ofmoisture. a

4:. A nonqvarping flush door construction comprising side'core stiles,core cross rails fixed to said sidecore stiles, said side core stilesprovided with longitudinally extending grooves, a series of free corecross rails having tongues fitting insaid grooves interposed betweensaid fixed core cross rails, an expansion joint interposed between saidfixed and free rails, and a covering for said door. c

5. A non-warping flush door construction comprising side core stiles,spaced anchored cross stiles, free core cross rails interposed betweenthe anchored cross stiles, an expansion joint interposed between saidanchored cross stiles and free rails, said'expansion joint comprising apair'of companion sections having their adjoining faces inclined fromthe outer side edges toward the center thereof, andwith the outer sideedgescoming flush together so as toprovide a continuous unbroken surfacefor the application of veneers or other covering.

6. A non-warping flush door construction comprising s1de core stiles,spaced anchoredcross stiles, free core cross rails interposed betweentheanchored cross stiles, an expansion joint interposed between saidanchored cross stiles and free rails, said expansion joint comprising apair of companion sections each having a dished-out portion formed uponthe adjoining faces thereof.

7. A non-warping flushdoor construction 7 comprising side core stiles,spaced anchored cross stiles, free core. cross rails interposed betweenthe anchored cross stiles, an expansion joint interposed between saidanchored cross stiles and free rails, said ,expansion oint comprising apair of companion sections, one section having a longitudinallyextending tongue, the groove of one section being adapted to receive thetongue of the other section, said sectionsv abutting along theirlongitudinal edges, and

the adjacent faces of said sections being inclined from the sideedgesthereof toward the center to permit the sections to expand andcontract relative toeach other as the humidity increases or diminishes.c

8. A non-warping flush door construction comprising side core stiles,cross rails an; chored in cross relation upon said core stiles,unanchored cross rails interposed between said anchored cross rails, anexpansion joint interposed between the anchored and unanchored crossrails, said expansion joint com-1 prising a pair of companion sectionseach having a dished-out portion formed ,upon the adjoining facesthereof, said adjoining faces also having longitudinally extendinggrooves, a spline fitted in said grooves and having expansion movementtllGIGlIlfor an- 7 clioring the sections of the expansion oint inassembled relation.

WALTER P. MURPHY.

